CHAPTER VIII. 



THE FEVER WORKING. 



About this time an ex-member of Congress, formerly from 

 Pennsylvania, was invited to deliver the address before one 

 of the county agricultural societies of that state (where the 

 fever had now begun to spread with alanning rapidity), who, 

 in the course of his speech on that occasion, delivered him- 

 self of the following pointed and forcible remark. 



Speaking of poultry and the rare qualities of certain 

 domestic fowls, he said, " Ladies and gentlemen, next to a 

 beautiful woman, and an honestf farmer, I deem a Shanghae 

 cock the noblest work of God ! " 



Now, this expression might be looked upon, by some 

 persons, as savoring of demagogism, or, at the least, as an 

 approach to " running this thing into the ground " (or into 

 the air) ; but the honorable gentleman no doubt felt just 

 what he said. I have seen many sensible men who felt 

 worse than this — a good deal — on this self-same subject ; 

 and who expressed themselves much more warmly in regard 

 to the characteristics and beauties of domestic poultry ; but, 



